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Original poster

New campaign to allow partners to stay on maternity wards.

282 replies

MrsCakesPremonition · 10/07/2014 13:56

MN have started a thread about possibly supporting a new campaign to allow partners to stay overnight on maternity wards.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_campaigns/a2129215-What-do-you-think-about-spouses-partners-staying-overnight-on-postnatal-wards?msgid=48200610#48200610

I feel very uncomfortable about this for lots of practical reasons, but also partly because it feels like another safe space for women being sacrificed for the convenience of men. However, I'm aware that I may be underplaying women's right to have whatever support they want.
Is this a feminist issue and how are the rights of one group of women (to feel safe) balanced against another group of women (to have the support they want)?

OP posts:
7Days · 10/07/2014 14:33

It's also tied into the idea of women's spaces.

You can't get more of a woman's space than a post natal ward.

Interesting that most people instinctively see the value of it even if not framed in explicitly feminist terms.

LurcioAgain · 10/07/2014 14:27

This is what I've just posted on the other thread:

No. I'm sure most of these reasons have been covered upthread but:

  1. Privacy - I don't want strange men around the place while I'm waddling around in my nightclothes or desperately trying to establish a decent latch with a newborn, or trying to pump.

  2. Threat of violence - a significant number of women have the horrible experience of having violent partners. I want both me and them to be protected from having such men in the vicinity overnight on a post-natal ward.

  3. Cost - the NHS is stretched to breaking point already. This wouldn't be zero cost. I'd rather the money was spent on more midwives.

I'd just add here that I hate the way the language of human rights is co-opted into this sort of issue. Nice for some proportion of women giving birth? Sure, I'll buy that (though I'm not one of them). A human right? Up there with the right to life, to be free from violence, to clean water, sanitation, food, freedom of speech, the right to vote? Err, no, I don't think so. It trivialises the notion of "human rights" IMO.

almondcakes · 10/07/2014 14:26

The feminist dimension is that just because someone has a female body and has just given birth, that doesn't mean they are entitled to less privacy than any other patient.

Original poster
MrsCakesPremonition · 10/07/2014 14:19

I suppose I'm wondering if this is a purely argument on a purely practical basis, or if there is a feminist dimension as well which should be considered.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 10/07/2014 14:09

I am not interested in such a campaign. I would rather see ,itch better postnatal care than spend the night in a room full of strange men right after I have given birth. Horrible infection control, too.

AuntieStella · 10/07/2014 14:06

I'velooked at the MN thread you linked.

The weight of opinion is very heavily against overnight visitors (of both sexes) in postnatal wards.

What wanted is better postnatal care in wards with more staff (and/or trained peer supporters) and better laid out wards.

Change to visiting rules is easy/cheap, and diverts attention from the need for more thought, planning and (when possible) resources.

almondcakes · 10/07/2014 14:04

It is a terrible idea for all the reasons people have given on the other thread.

As someone pointed out on there, no other groups of adults would be expected to put up with it.